


Country Bumpkin

by stillnotovermylordsixth



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: 69 (Sex Position), Aftercare, Anal Sex, Blow Jobs, Boys Kissing, Canon Compliant, Cuddling, Dialogue Heavy, Eventual Smut, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Haikyuu!! Manga Spoilers, Humor, Hurt/Comfort, Light Angst, M/M, Smut, Teasing, kuroo's a slightly bigger shit, tsukki's a little shit, with an even bigger heart
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-20
Updated: 2020-04-29
Packaged: 2021-02-28 18:34:27
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 14,480
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23221825
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stillnotovermylordsixth/pseuds/stillnotovermylordsixth
Summary: “Are you hitting on me or something?” Tsukki sneers, itching to catch a jump or a twitch in Kuroo's calm demeanor.Instead, Kuroo’s smile only grows. “Why, do you want me to?”
Relationships: Kuroo Tetsurou/Tsukishima Kei
Comments: 67
Kudos: 490





	1. A little less alone

**Author's Note:**

> Nothing explicit in this chapter ;) sorry? lol

The evening breeze glides over Tsukki’s sweaty skin as he sits on the hilltop. He hugs his thighs to his chest and glares out at the treetops below through his tears. 

It’s only Karasuno’s first day at Saitama for training camp with the other high schools and he’s already pissed off.

He’s pissed at the stupid third-years from Nekoma and Fukurodani who urged him to try harder than he already is.

He’s pissed at his own team of overachieving idiots who make him look mediocre simply because he’d rather rest after a whole day of volleyball practice instead of seeking out _more_ volleyball practice.

He's pissed because he doesn’t understand why Kuroo’s words had such an annoying effect on him.

_"If you keep slacking off, Shrimpy's gonna take all the glory for himself."_

Tsukki scoffs.

It’s not like he actually cares about this stupid sport or this stupid team. He doesn’t care that Hinata is constantly outshining him in the same middle-blocker position even though he’s a blundering midget with half a brain. 

So why is he so irritated?

Is it that Kuroo is a third-year Tsukki happens to look up to? Does he actually value that guy’s opinion? That’s so stupid! They don’t even attend the same school. He’s just some random asshole with shitty hair and pretty, hazel eyes. 

_Did I seriously just think his eyes were pretty? Fuck that noise._

_Ugly. Ugly, diarrhea-colored eyes!_

That brings a smirk to Tsukki's lips, but it fades almost as soon as it appears.

He knows he could blow them all away if he actually gave it his all. He’s got the height and the talent and the brains. But what’s the point? What's the point of expending so much effort into something that has no long-term use? Volleyball is in no way valuable to his future. It won’t make him money or provide important life skills or even look good on a resume. 

In the grand scheme of things, volleyball means nothing and this team means nothing. These people are not his friends and there’s no point in thinking they are.

 _It only hurts worse when they let you down_.

“Ah, my favorite country bumpkin!” Kuroo’s voice booms cheerfully and Tsukki nearly jumps out of his skin. “There you are!”

Anger bristles under Tsukki’s skin as he listens to Kuroo’s crunching footsteps on the grass get closer. He sniffs hard and turns away to wipe his tears. 

“The hell do you want?” he grumbles.

“Hey, hey, easy! I come in peace," Kuroo says, plopping down beside him with an exaggerated groan.

“Oh, man. I’m getting too old for after-practice practice!”

Tsukki rolls his eyes and ignores him.

“So what’s up with you? Why’d you take off?”

Straight to the point, as always. Tsukki considers ignoring him again, but knows he will only continue to pester him until he talks.

“I told you. I’m tired.”

“And yet, you’re not in bed, but sitting out here trying to catch a summer cold. Sounds legit.”

Tsukki sighs, and rests his chin on his arms again. “Just leave me alone.”

There's a pause, during which Tsukki considers abandoning his spot even though _he was there first_. But when Kuroo speaks, all traces of humor are gone from his voice.

“Look. I guess I hit a nerve when I said what I said about you and Hinata. I didn’t realize that was a sore spot for you. I’m sorry.”

Tsukki is taken aback for a moment, but refuses to let it show. He huffs out an irritated breath. “Why apologize? You weren’t wrong.”

“It’s not about being right or wrong,” Kuroo mutters. “I hurt you, and that wasn’t my intention.”

Tsukki continues to glare ahead to hide his growing surprise. The boiling anger under his skin starts to fade. He almost feels bad for thinking Kuroo’s eyes were diarrhea-colored.

Still, he doesn’t trust Kuroo yet. There must be a volleyball-related ulterior motive to this apology.

Tsukki directs his glare at him through the corner of his eye.

“Why the hell do you care how I feel?”

Kuroo shrugs, clearly unaffected by the daggers in Tsukki’s eyes.

“Well, unlike _other people—_ ” he gestures vaguely in Tsukki’s direction, “ _—_ I don’t actually enjoy being an asshole to my fellow human beings.”

_Rude._

Tsukki sniffs again and wipes at the remaining moisture from his eyes.

“I’m not an asshole.”

“Oh,” Kuroo says, a hint of playfulness back in his tone. “I thought that’s what you were going for.”

Tsukki can't quite stifle his grin. “Asshole.”

Kuroo chuckles, and eases onto his back beside him, keeping one leg straight and the other bent. Tsukki notices the solid outline of Kuroo's quads when the fabric of his shorts rides up his thigh and immediately snaps his eyes away.

“So," Kuroo starts, folding his hands behind his head. "What’s really got you out here brooding?”

Tsukki lets out another sigh and gazes back down at his shoes. The only way to get Kuroo out of his hair is to talk to him. Or he could just get up and leave. That’s always been an option. 

But he’s surprised to find that he doesn’t want to do that. 

“I don’t get why everyone cares about going to Nationals so much.”

He expects Kuroo to be scandalized by his statement _—_ Hinata’s head would probably spin right off his neck if he heard _—_ but Kuroo only hums.

“To test their skills against the best players out there?”

“And what's the point of that?” Tsukki mutters.

He feels Kuroo’s eyes on him, but doesn’t meet his gaze.

“Does there have to be a point besides you enjoying yourself?” he asks.

“But I’m not enjoying myself,” Tsukki admits under his breath. “Not when everyone’s making it seem like it’s a matter of life or death. They’re all so intense about it. It’s exhausting.”

“Ah, well. We all need something to believe in.”

_Seriously?_

Tsukki snorts. “So that's what you believe in? _Volleyball?_ ”

The position he’s sitting in is getting uncomfortable, so he unfolds himself and leans back on his hands to stretch out his legs. 

“That’s stupid,” he sighs, shivering when the wind meets his newly exposed trunk.

“Volleyball is just a game," Kuroo replies easily. "I believe in my teammates. In the bonds I have with each of them.”

Tsukki lets out a loud laugh. "Now you sound like every shonen manga _ever!_ ”

To his surprise, Kuroo doesn't laugh along. 

“Yeah, well," Kuroo says with a sigh, "I guess it makes me feel a little less alone in the world.”

Tsukki frowns and bites back his snarky response. He can't really picture Kuroo _not_ laughing and surrounded by people. It feels too wrong.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” he wonders out loud.

“Exactly what it sounds like.”

_A little less alone._

It is true that Tsukki hasn't felt lonely in months, ever since he started playing for Karasuno. But he'd thought of his teammates' company as more of a burden than anything else. Would it really make that much of a difference if he didn't?

“But what’s the point of forming bonds with them?" he asks seriously. "You third-years are going your separate ways in a few months. It’s not like your team will actually be there for you once you’re gone."

A faint smile appears on Kuroo's face. “Maybe you’re right," he says softly. "But they mean something to me now, even if that changes in the future. Bonds don’t have to last forever to be considered special.”

Tsukki glowers at his feet, unsatisfied by the answer. He says nothing.

Kuroo snorts. “Must you _always_ focus on the negative? Maybe you should try looking on the bright side for once. Look!” He points up to the sky, and Tsukki reluctantly follows his finger to where the stars glow bright above them. 

The stars are beautiful, even if they're not as visible as they are farther out in the country. But Tsukki doesn't feel like arguing anymore and doesn't point it out. He plops onto his back with a sigh instead.

They’re silent for a while, listening to invisible crickets chime around them. A faint light cutting across the sky catches Tsukki's eye. Then another, and another. His dumbass older brother would call them shooting stars.

"Meteors," Tsukki corrects under his breath, and Kuroo lets out a low chuckle.

“It's a much nicer view than your shoes, don't you think?”

Tsukki turns to him. Kuroo’s jet black hair is a mess that covers half of his face but Tsukki can still see the relaxed smile playing on his lips. The guy is always so smooth and carefree. It is both admirable and annoying. Tsukki wonders what he looks like when he’s nervous or unsure or angry. He decides to try and find out. 

He rolls onto his side, and props his head on his palm.

“Are you hitting on me or something?” he sneers, itching to catch a jump or a twitch in Kuroo's calm demeanor.

Instead, Kuroo’s smile only grows. “Why, do you want me to?”

Tsukki's eyes go wide.

_Shit._

When he says nothing, Kuroo turns his whole body to him, propping on an elbow so close that Tsukki can smell his sweat, mixed with something minty fresh. It's not the worst smell in the world.

Tsukki feels his cheeks go hot when their eyes meet.

_Pretty hazel eyes._

As if hearing the thought, Kuroo chuckles, and the way the corners of his eyes crinkle has Tsukki's ridiculous blush spreading all the way to his chest.

“Ah, well. You are pretty cute,” Kuroo says with a teasing lilt in his voice. “But I’m afraid Daichi would skin me alive if he found out I’d tried corrupting his little kouhai.”

Tsukki blinks, unable to decide whether to focus on the revelation that Kuroo finds him cute or the one about Daichi protecting his honor. He doesn't know what to do with the first one, so he chooses the latter.

“Why would Daichi care?”

“Daichi probably wouldn’t,” Kuroo admits with a shrug, “but _Captain_ Daichi’s got a scary protective streak when it comes to his team. Especially the little ones.”

Tsukki frowns. “I’m not little. I’m taller than him.”

Kuroo winks. “That’s not what I meant, little one.”

Even if he doesn’t really get it, Tsukki has to admit that his curiosity has peaked. He raises a challenging eyebrow.

“And how would you corrupt me, exactly?”

From the darkness shielding Kuroo’s face, Tsukki can swear he catches a predatory glimmer in those pretty eyes. Kuroo's voice is low when he leans closer. “You really wanna know?”

Tsukki forgets how to breathe as Kuroo’s face pauses only inches from his. Kuroo’s eyes flicker down to his mouth, then back up as he licks his lips. The action makes something like a wildfire start in Tsukki's belly and spread to his limbs. Kuroo's skin is so close that he can feel its warmth without touching it. 

His heart hammers wildly in his throat as he mimics Kuroo's eye flicker and focuses on his lips. The smile he finds there is nowhere near as cocky as it was moments ago.

Then it dawns on him _._

_Kuroo is... nervous?_

Now he wants to bridge the distance between them just to see Kuroo waver even _more_. And maybe... a tiny bit... to find out if his lips are really as soft as they look.

Tsukki knows Kuroo won’t proceed any further. The ball’s on his court now.

And this is one challenge Tsukki doesn’t feel like backing down from.

He leans forward until their noses brush against each other. 

Tsukki's heart threatens to jump out of his throat, but he manages to relish the shock in Kuroo’s wide eyes for a moment.

_Victory._

Then closes his eyes like he sees people do in the movies and lets out a shaky breath against Kuroo’s lips _—_

“Tsu _—_ Tsukki?”

Yamaguchi’s voice startles him so violently that he shoves Kuroo in the chest, _hard_ , and sends him rolling down the hill with a yelp.

“Yamaguchi!” Tsukki hisses, face and ears growing so hot he’s convinced he resembles a chili pepper. He turns his searing glare over to his friend at the bottom of the hill, and Yamaguchi flinches like he can feel its burn.

"What the hell are you sneaking around for?!”

Yamaguchi’s mouth gapes before he stutters out, “I _—_ uh, sorry! I was worried _—_ since it’s late _—_ I didn’t mean to interrupt _—_ ”

Tsukki jumps to his feet, ignoring Kuroo’s breathless giggles as he continues his descent in a now-controlled roll.

“You didn’t interrupt anything, you idiot!” he snaps at Yamaguchi, then starts in the direction of the dormitories with Yamaguchi sputtering apologies at his heels. 

He doesn’t look back when he hears Kuroo cackle like he did when Hinata asked if a random transmission tower was _the_ Tokyo Tower.

And he definitely does not blush a furious red when Kuroo calls out in sing-song.

“Sweet dreams, little one!”


	2. Hope is the fucking worst

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **MAJOR MANGA SPOILERS**  
> Last chance to go back if you haven't caught up to Chapter 367!

“Cheer up, Kei!” Akiteru says with a comforting pat on Tsukki’s shoulder. “There’s always next year!”

It physically pains Tsukki to stifle an eyeroll, but he knows that it will only encourage his older brother to grab him in a headlock and give him a noogie or something equally stupid. So he offers his best smirk instead.

“I just played two games back to back. I don’t need cheering, I need food. What kind of older brother are you?”

That does the trick. Akiteru’s eyes go dramatically wide as he smacks his own cheeks. 

“Oh, no! You’re right! I should have thought of that! What are you craving? I’ll buy a whole dozen of whatever it is!”

Tsukki snorts.

_He’s too easy._

“Onigiri,” he says instantly. “I saw a shop about five minutes away.”

“Alright! Let’s go!” Akiteru shouts with a fist in the air. 

“I’ll wait here,” Tsukki mumbles, gazing out at the volleyball court. “I wanna watch the next match.”

“Um, okay,” Akiteru says, excitement faltering significantly. “I’ll be back, then. Five minutes!”

“Ten,” Tsukki corrects.

“Ten minutes!” Akiteru shouts over his shoulder as he hurries down the stairs.

Tsukki watches him disappear and waits a full minute before getting up from his seat and following. The sounds of shoes squeaking on the gym floor fade away as he steps out into the general area. Endless chatter fills the air, along with the soft weeping of a freshly eliminated girl’s team. The sound irks him, but not as much as the hyperactive shouts of Tanaka and Nishinoya a few yards away. He instinctively turns in the direction of their laughter and finds them twirling Azumane’s hair into pigtails while the ace eats his lunch in submissive silence.

They’re by far the most cheerful of the bunch. The rest of Karasuno’s team stands or sits around in clumps, displaying varying degrees of dejection.

_Ugh._

Yamaguchi notices him and raises a hand, but Tsukki pretends not to see him and books it in the opposite direction. 

Tsukki knew this was going to happen.

At some point, he'd gotten his hopes up along with the rest of them. And for what? To end up broken and defeated _—_ just like Akiteru’s sorry ass all those years ago _—_ when they were crushed by a better team.

Why did Tsukki buy into this Nationals nonsense, anyway?

He curses the stupid knot that forms in his throat.

_Hope is the fucking worst._

He knows exactly how he got caught up in the excitement of it all. It happened at the exact moment that he stopped Shiratorizawa's unstoppable ace that _one time_ during qualifiers. That was the moment it had all clicked into place. 

It felt amazing to prove how good he could be. To see the pride and excitement in his teammates' eyes. The thrill was almost addicting _—_ no, it actually _was_ addicting—and he'd sought it out over and over _._ With every incredible block and the praise that came with it, he'd found his teammates a little less irritating. At times, he'd secretly cheered for their amazing feats, too. Yes, even for the shrimp _—_ the most annoying of them all.

He walks aimlessly and replays the final set, play by play, trying to figure out where it all went wrong. Did Hinata’s absence really affect them all that much? 

_Was it me? Was there more I could have done?_

Endurance has always been his greatest weakness. He knows it better than anyone.

_What if I hadn't gotten that stupid cramp during the last stretch of the game?_

The thought sends a nasty chill through him. Maybe that really could have changed the outcome.

He comes to a halt when he catches sight of Daichi stepping out of the restroom a few yards away.

Unaware that he's being watched, Karasuno's captain pauses, slaps his cheeks hard enough to echo down the hallway and takes in a long, steadying breath. Then he shakes it off and straightens, releasing that same breath before turning in Tsukki's direction.

Tsukki’s heart clenches when their eyes meet. Daichi freezes.

It's clear from the raw skin of his cheeks and his bloodshot eyes that he's been crying, and the realization is enough to bring a sting to Tsukki’s eyes, too. He _hates it_.

Daichi’s mouth opens like he’s going to call out to him, but Tsukki feigns ignorance once more and takes a sharp turn to the stairs instead of continuing ahead. No way in hell is he going to face Daichi’s pitiful self-restraint while he feels _this_.

This suffocating mixture of disappointment and guilt that twists around inside him, seeking escape.

He’d been so afraid of being let down when, all this time, what he should have been wary of was being the one letting everyone else down. It hurt so much worse. 

He bites down on his lip to keep it from trembling, but the moisture in his eyes only continues to grow. He knows he’s gonna lose it when he feels a hiccup rise up to his throat and he scans his surroundings for a place to hide.

 _There!_

A dark corner behind a line of vending machines, far from the small clumps of volleyball teams gathered around waiting for their matches.

He hurries there, vision blurry when his back finally hits the wall and he slumps down to the floor. The relative darkness provides an illusion of privacy and he finally lets the tears spill over. The tension in his chest forces him to gasp for air, and he hugs his knees to hide his face in them.

_Fuck this hurts._

He doesn’t even bother removing his glasses and lets it all out, failing to keep the embarrassing choking sounds from escaping his mouth. When his shoulders start to shake, he hugs himself tighter. He can’t remember the last time something hurt badly enough to warrant snot and tears. 

He also can’t remember the last time he cared so much about failing someone else.

He loses track of how long he cries, only knows that by the end of it, the tightness in his throat eases and he can breathe normally again, with the odd shuddering breath here and there.

_Ugh. Never, ever, ever again._

Tsukki sniffs and wipes his nose on the sleeve of his jacket. He freezes in place when he notices a pair of black shoes and long tan legs in front of him.

He reluctantly follows the legs up to settle on Kuroo’s lopsided grin.

"Hey, country bumpkin."

_Ah, fuck me._

Tsukki sighs and pushes his fingers up under his glasses to wipe the tears from his eyes.

"I'm really not in the mood," he mutters with a sniff.

Kuroo predictably _does not listen_ and joins him on the floor against the wall. He bumps Tsukki’s shoulder with his own. 

The contact immediately reminds Tsukki of the last time they were this close, out under the stars, and a chill goes through his body. 

_“Sweet dreams, little one!”_

The bastard had plagued Tsukki’s dreams for countless nights afterwards. Very much against his will, Tsukki was now hyperaware of how filthy his mind could be.

_Nope. Definitely not in the mood._

“Don’t worry,” Kuroo says lightly, “I’m not here to talk you out of your gloom.”

Tsukki gives him a side glance. Not exactly what he was worried about, but fine. He waits for him to continue.

“I actually feel vindicated,” Kuroo says with a teasing lilt. “You filthy crows _did_ end my volleyball career, after all.”

Tsukki snorts, but manages the beginnings of a grin, which Kuroo returns. 

"Why are you here, then?" he asks, wiping his leaking nose again.

“Eh,” Kuroo shrugs. “Figured you’d be sulking somewhere far, far away from your supportive teammates.”

“And that's... bad?” Tsukki cocks an eyebrow. 

“Nah. I'm kinda sick of mine, too,” Kuroo admits with another shrug. 

Tsukki makes a soft, amused sound but says nothing else.

"So what changed?" Kuroo asks.

Tsukki pauses. "What do you mean?"

"Back in training camp, it didn't sound like you cared about results at Nationals. But that doesn't seem to be the case now."

"I _don't_ care."

Kuroo lifts a disbelieving brow.

"I don't care about the results," Tsukki elaborates quietly. "I don't care about our ranking."

"Then what do you care about?"

Tsukki pointedly does not think about Daichi's solid leadership, or Azumane's encouragement, or Suga's lighthearted teasing. He doesn't think about the fact that they'll no longer be part of the team after this. Or of how they could have had at least one more match, if it weren't for him.

He doesn't think about the rest of the idiots and their broken hearts because he doesn’t care, _dammit_. 

He purses his lips and says nothing.

“A-ha!” Kuroo cries, and Tsukki imagines a lightbulb blinking on above his head. “You’re probably thinking, 'Ah, there's so much I could’ve done differently,' right?”

Tsukki keeps a straight face, giving none of his surprise away, and simply shrugs.

“Well,” Kuroo continues, “there’s no point in doing that now. I’m sure your coach will go over that in detail later. But you were amazing out there, kid! Remember that. You really gave Hinata a run for his money.”

A strange sort of pride warms Tsukki’s chest, but he nibbles on his lip to suppress a smile. 

“Why weren’t you upset about losing?” he deflects, recalling that Kuroo looked more relieved than anything by the end of their match. “It was your last year.”

“Oh, trust me," Kuroo laughs, unfolding himself to sit cross-legged instead. "As soon as I get home, I’m bawling like a baby in my momma's arms! But right now, I’m still the captain. Gotta keep up appearances for my little ones.”

Tsukki feels the fond warmth spread in his chest and hums, wondering if that’s why Daichi looked so horrified about being caught trying to compose himself.

“For what it's worth,” Kuroo adds, shoving Tsukki’s shoulder again. “I’m glad it was you we lost against.”

Tsukki stares at him like he just admitted his hair is a very poorly-made toupée. Kuroo’s tone turns playful. 

“Y’know, it was sorta like losing to myself, since I taught you everything you know!”

Tsukki snorts and narrows his eyes.

“That’s not even close to being accurate.”

Kuroo raises his hands placatingly. “No need to thank me for my wisdom. I do it for the good of future generations.”

“You’re an idiot.”

Kuroo gasps dramatically, holding a hand to his chest. “You young’uns get more disrespectful every year, you know that?”

Tsukki snickers, despite himself.

Kuroo offers a smug smile of his own.

“I’m proud of you, kid,” he says a bit more seriously, ruffling Tsukki’s hair. “You’ll be a monster next year.”

Tsukki shoves him away, biting back a smile as he pretends to fix his hair. His phone starts to vibrate in his jacket pocket.

He takes it out: Akiteru is calling.

“Ugh,” he groans, a spike of annoyance prickling under his skin, then answers the call.

“Yeah?”

“Kei!” Akiteru shouts unnecessarily. “Where’d you go? I got your food!”

“Restroom,” Tsukki lies. “Be there in a minute.”

“Oh, ok! I’ll wait _—_ ”

Tsukki hangs up and pockets his phone. 

“Gotta go, huh?” Kuroo asks with a quirky grin.

“Mm,” Tsukki scowls.

Why is he so annoyed by that?

It's not that he dislikes his brother. In fact, Tsukki continues to idolize Akiteru in secret, though he'd rather swallow live jellyfish than admit it. Sure, Akiteru can be almost as stupid as Hinata sometimes, but he's also unconditionally kind and supportive _—_ attributes Tsukki knows he will never possess in this lifetime. 

A silent minute passes, then two, and when it becomes apparent that he has no intention of moving from his spot, Tsukki feels Kuroo scoot closer and tentatively rest his head on his shoulder. 

Tsukki briefly considers shoving him off, but there’s that familiar scent again _—_ the one burned into his mind from that night on the hill _—_ and he really doesn’t mind the fluttering it causes in his chest.

“So, why aren’t you going?” Kuroo asks, the quiet hope in his voice making Tsukki’s heart further pick up its pace.

“If I didn’t know any better,” Kuroo continues innocently, “I’d think you really enjoy my company.”

"Don't flatter yourself," Tsukki mutters under his breath.

"But I do," Kuroo quips, and Tsukki actually smiles this time.

“You know... Daichi’s no longer captain,” he blurts out before he can stop himself.

“Hah?" Kuroo cries. "Already thinking of replacing him, are you? That's ice cold!”

“Shut up. I meant…”

He pauses. What _did_ he mean by that?

Kuroo’s voice is dangerously low when he says, “You meant he won’t be defending your honor anymore, huh?”

He slowly lifts his head, leaving Tsukki’s shoulder inexplicably cold under his jacket. His skin breaks out in gooseflesh when he meets Kuroo’s curious gaze.

“Does that mean you’ve been thinking about it?” Kuroo whispers.

Tsukki’s eyes slide down Kuroo’s face, where a cocky grin tugs a dimple into his cheek. 

“Thinking about what?” he huffs, attempting indifference and failing miserably. “It’s not like you gave me anything to think about.”

Kuroo’s smirk moves closer. “And you want me to change that, do you?”

Tsukki turns his nose up in a sneer. “I doubt you could.”

“Don’t tempt me, kid,” Kuroo warns, his growing feline smile activating Tsukki’s fight or flight instinct. “I am sad and weak right now.”

Tsukki rises to the challenge, keeping his eyes narrowed. “I knew you were all talk.”

Kuroo licks his lips, a motion that sends Tsukki’s heart into overdrive. Then he captures Tsukki’s chin in his hand, eyes flickering down to Tsukki’s mouth.

Tsukki’s eyes widen marginally when Kuroo tilts his face and inches closer until his words are a warm breath against Tsukki's lips.

“I assure you that’s not the case, little one.”

Then Kuroo’s mouth is pressing soft and warm, into his.

A spark of electricity shoots from Tsukki’s core to the ends of his body and back again. The feeling is paradoxically amazing and unpleasant, causing Tsukki’s mind to fuzz when it comes to deciding whether he wants to pull away or seek more. But when Kuroo’s lips move, only a fraction, it’s enough to cause waves of searing heat that choke the air from his lungs. Then Kuroo’s tongue glides along his lower lip, leaving a trail of mint and salt that Tsukki never knew could taste so good, and he has to break away to gasp for breath. 

His face floods with heat as he studies Kuroo’s half-lidded gaze.

"You _—"_ Tsukki gulps. “You taste gross.”

Kuroo smiles, his hand moving down to the hammering pulse on Tsukki’s neck. “So do you.”

And when their mouths collide this time, Tsukki parts his lips to take in more of that minty flavor, even if he doesn’t know what to do after he’s had his fill. Thankfully, it seems Kuroo is more than happy to take the lead, hands unexpectedly gentle as they hold Tsukki’s face. His mouth moves slow _—_ frustratingly so, since Tsukki’s body has made the executive order for _more, now —_ but Tsukki reminds himself to breathe through his nose in order to savor the slick graze of Kuroo's tongue over his lips a little longer. 

Then it occurs to him _: Maybe I can do more than that._

He hesitates for a moment, thinking it’ll probably feel super gross. But eventually, he decides to meet Kuroo’s tongue halfway with his own. To his shock, the slippery sensation sends a thrill down his spine, further heightened by the low groan that escapes Kuroo’s throat.

_Oh, he likes that._

That is when Tsukki recalls that he has two perfectly useful hands lying idle at his sides, so he brings one up to the hem of Kuroo’s jacket and tentatively slides beneath it.

Kuroo’s skin is incredibly hot under his fingertips, and he’s thrilled to feel the tightening of solid muscles when Kuroo jolts at the touch.

He’s also pleased to find that Kuroo’s approach becomes more aggressive the higher Tsukki’s touch travels over his back, like he's fighting to keep the upper hand.

Tsukki discovers that the graze of teeth leaves him more tingly and breathless than anything Kuroo has tried so far.

Then there’s a squeak of sneakers coming to an abrupt halt, followed by another _—_ even more familiar _—_ squeak.

“Oh.”

Tsukki doesn’t have to look up to recognize the anxiety radiating from his best friend. He rests his forehead on Kuroo's and lets out a heavy sigh.

“Fucking hell, Yamaguchi.”

“I _—_ I’m sorry, Tsukki!” Yamaguchi stammers, and Kuroo chokes on a laugh behind his hand. Tsukki finally shoves him away, and the idiot laughs harder.

“Coach was _—_ uh _—_ he was _—_ looking for you,” Yamaguchi finishes, squirming under Tsukki’s glare as he rises to his feet and towers over him.

Tsukki pokes a finger into his friend’s chest. “You didn’t see anything, got it?”

When Yamaguchi’s freckles grow darker with his blushing cheeks, Tsukki pokes him harder.

“What did you see, Yamaguchi?”

Yamaguchi’s mouth flaps as he glances down at Kuroo then back up to Tsukki's face.

“Um _—_ n-nothing, Tsukki.”

Tsukki narrows his eyes a little further before shoving past him toward the stairs. 

“You’re goddamn right.”


	3. I can't believe I'm doing this

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this chapter's kinda short 😭 I'll make it up to you with the next one, I promise!

**6 years later**

Tsukki’s team is at match point during the three-on-three practice match when he hears it: a shout--loud and excited--that cuts through the sounds of his opposing teammates shouting for a toss, and echoes throughout the otherwise empty gym. 

“Country bumpkin!”

_Huh?_

An unexpected spark of excitement shoots into his veins.

_The hell? Is that…?_

And just like that, Tsukki’s razor-sharp focus evaporates. He throws a swift glance in the direction of the familiar voice and his eyes widen as he catches sight of a tall, dark figure waving his entire arm at him. Then he gets a spike to the face.

The impact is hard enough to throw him off balance and to send his glasses flying through the air. He actually hears the crunch of his nose right before he lands on his ass. The squeaking of shoes on polished hardwood comes to a halt.

“Oh, shit! Sorry, Captain!” Tsukki hears the team's ace, Imai, shout as pain shoots from his nose to his eyes.

“Damn! That was a hard hit," Nishimura points out, ever helpful.

"Tsukishima-kun, are you okay?” Aoyama, the one who makes it to him fastest, inquires.

“Ugh. Yeah, fine,” Tsukki grumbles, but keeps his eyes shut against the swirling blur that his surroundings have turned into. 

“Shit, I’m so sorry about that,” Imai says again, his voice much closer now.

“Tsukishima-kun, your--your nose--”

"That doesn't look good--"

“It’s fine, I’m fine,” Tsukki repeats, even though his eyes have started to leak profusely. He pries them open to find the head coach crouched beside him. Then Tsukki notices that the warmth on his lips, rolling down his chin, is blood. Lots of it.

“Tsukishima,” Coach Sakai says gently, placing a hand on Tsukki’s shoulder. “Do you know where you are?”

Tsukki takes the towel Aoyama offers and brings it to his nose.

“Volleyball practice in the Sendai gym,” Tsukki responds calmly.

“And do you know who I am?”

“Coach Ukai.”

Coach’s eyes go large as some of Tsukki’s teammates gasp.

“Sakai! I meant Coach Sakai,” he corrects, too late. 

Coach's lips press into a somber line. Tsukki sighs.

_Dammit._

…

After being assessed by the university physician and having his nose set, Tsukki is diagnosed with a mild concussion and told to skip practice for the next week. Which is _fan-fucking-tastic_ , considering the Frogs just got into a decent groove this season-- Tsukki's final season before leaving volleyball for good.

The pain does not help his irritation, and by the time he steps out into the waiting room where Nishimura awaits, Tsukki has to hold back from chewing his teammate's head off when he offers to give him a ride home.

 _You really have to ask?_ Tsukki wants to snap. _I can’t see two feet in front of me without my glasses, dumbass._

“I’ll take it from here, champ,” says a deep, familiar voice from the corner of the room, where a blur of a man rises from his seat. Tsukki can make out a mess of black hair and a light gray dress shirt over dark jeans. 

His heart performs a silly little flip as the blur approaches with an easy confidence in his step. 

The closer he gets, the more Tsukki has to tilt his face down to look at him. He smirks. 

_That’s a nice change_.

Tsukki _has_ grown almost three inches since his Karasuno days, after all.

Kuroo’s face is only slightly less blurry when Tsukki notices his grin.

“Hey, country bumpkin.”

Nishimura steps between them in a comically defensive stance.

“You know this guy, Tsukishima-san?”

Tsukki crosses his arms over his chest with a frown.

“Mm… I don’t know,” he hums as if in deep thought, “Kishii… Kubo… or was it Kozume-something?”

“Ouch! How is Kenma more memorable than I am?” Kuroo snickers, then easily steps around Nishimura to wrap his arms around Tsukki’s waist. “Get in here, you bastard!”

Tsukki is taken aback by the embrace, but even more by Kuroo’s strength as he lifts him off the floor. His stupid heart does a strange, fluttering thing as he wonders what the correct reaction should be. He decides on a few awkward pats to Kuroo’s shoulder.

“What are you doing here?” He asks when Kuroo finally sets him down. 

“I’m here to take you home cuz I feel guilty!”

Tsukki snorts at the excitement with which Kuroo declares that, while Nishimura shifts uncomfortably beside him. It’s not until Tsukki takes him to the side and assures him that he’s not about to be kidnapped, that his protective second-year finally agrees to leave.

“My, my,” Kuroo says with a curious tilt of his head. “Captain of the Frogs has a bodyguard of his own. Guess I'm not the first one to try and steal you away, huh?”

Tsukki rolls his eyes and leads the way out of the clinic. The sky assaults him with orange brightness from the setting sun.

“So what are you really doing here?” he asks as they make their way to the parking lot.

“Well, I really do feel guilty,” Kuroo starts. “But I’m also a sports reporter! And I’m in town for the story on Sendai’s new basketball head coach. Then I heard about a Tsukishima playing on the volleyball team and had to come see it for myself.”

His smile is a blur of white against bronzed skin as he motions at Tsukki.

“And it’s really you! Captain of the Frogs. I couldn't believe it! The little bumpkin who couldn’t see the point. Who’da thunk it?” He laughs fondly, giving Tsukki's shoulder a friendly pat before leaving his hand there in a casual grip. “Does this mean you figured it out?”

“No. Not really,” Tsukki admits, squinting against the annoying radiance on the horizon. “But I get to kick ass on the daily, so I guess that’s fine.”

Kuroo barks out a laugh. “Atta boy!” He gives Tsukki’s back a hard smack. “But it’d be more convincing if you didn’t have two black eyes right now.”

Tsukki glares at him. “It’s your fault my face looks like this, you dick.”

Kuroo’s laugh bounces off the concrete and sends a pleasant shiver down Tsukki's spine. “Let me make it up to you, then! Let’s go grab some katsudon. My treat!”

“I can’t just eat anything, idiot,” Tsukki admonishes. “This isn’t high school volleyball.”

“O-ho-ho! Look who’s leveled up!”

Tsukki snorts out a laugh and almost falls on his face when his depth perception screws him over and he miscalculates how high the curb is. 

“Woah!” Kuroo shouts as he catches him by the elbow. “Is this how bad your eyesight is without your glasses? Or is this part of the concussion?”

Tsukki shoves him off, but not too hard. 

“Not the concussion,” he mutters.

“Did your glasses break?”

“No.”

“Then put them on!”

“I _can’t_ ," Tsukki grinds through his teeth. "On account of my nose being broken _because of you!_ ”

Kuroo snorts out a dismissive snicker.

“My car’s over here, by the way,” he says cheerfully, and tugs Tsukki by the wrist to lead him in the opposite direction. Still fuming with a fresh wave of irritation, Tsukki considers yanking his arm away.

But he ultimately decides against it. Kuroo’s hand is warm around his wrist.

The drive to the house Tsukki shares with two housemates is filled with Kuroo’s chatter about his job in Tokyo and his aspirations to travel abroad. Tsukki doesn't say much. He doesn't have much to add. Student life is boring. Besides, it may just be an effect of the painkillers, but Kuroo’s voice is nice to listen to.

When they arrive, he finds himself staring out the window at nothing in particular as a swirl of... something uncomfortable settles in his chest.

That's when he realizes he’s not quite ready for this blast from the past to be over yet. He doesn't want their mostly one-sided conversation to end. But how does he make Kuroo stay?

Kuroo is silent as he waits for Tsukki to step out of his car. He doesn’t.

“Um,” Kuroo begins, “this is your place, right?”

“Cook for me,” Tsukki blurts out. 

“What?” Kuroo laughs incredulously.

“You wanted to make it up to me, right?” Tsukki adds, keeping his voice as casual as possible. “So cook something healthy for me.”

Kuroo is silent. Tsukki's skin crawls with nervous energy and the fear of rejection. He avoids Kuroo's gaze, bracing himself for the mortification to come.

But it never arrives because Kuroo asks, “Your housemates won’t mind?”

“Who cares?” Tsukki says too quickly. 

_What is wrong with you?_ He chastises himself _. Chill out, shit._

“Ah," Kuroo nods wisely, "you’re one of those nightmare housemates, aren’t you?”

Tsukki glares at him. “Shut up. They won’t care. They keep to themselves.”

Kuroo hums, unconvinced. “Is Yamaguchi one of these housemates?”

Tsukki’s brows shoot up.

_How did he know that?_

“Um, yeah. Why?”

“ _Great._ ”

“What?” Tsukki asks, thoroughly confused now.

“Well, if I remember correctly,” Kuroo sighs, crossing his arms over his chest. “He always had _the worst_ timing.”

Tsukki blinks, confused. Then he remembers the instances Kuroo is referring to, and his face floods with heat. 

“Shut up.”

“He had a major crush on you, y’know.”

“Shut up!” 

“Probably still does.”

“Gross!” Tsukki grimaces and shakes his head, which leads to a dull throb on the bridge of his nose. But there’s simply no way there’s any truth to Kuroo’s claim. “He’s like my brother!”

“Well I hate to inform you,” Kuroo reveals with way too much amusement in his voice, “but your brother wants that D.”

“If you don’t shut up, I’m withdrawing the invitation.”

“Can’t be in denial forever!” Kuroo teases. “You know what they say: incest for the wincest!”

Tsukki punches him hard in the arm. “Nobody says that, you animal!”

“Ow!” Kuroo cackles. “I’m only stating the facts. It’s my job as a journalist, you know!”

“Get out of the car so I can kick your ass.”

“Ooooh, you sure that’s what you really wanna do to this ass?”

Tsukki chokes on his own spit, eyes widening as a furious blush invades his face and Kuroo laughs harder. Tsukki punches him again.

“Aww,” Kuroo giggles, holding his sides as he struggles to recover from his laughter. “You really are cute.”

_Inviting him in is such a bad idea. I can't believe I'm doing this._

Kuroo's face is still a blur, but Tsukki can make out the outline of his soft grin. Against his will, his insides melt into nasty, gooey affection.

_I can't wait._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Raise your hands if you're ready for some SMUUTTTT!!!! 😀😉💖


	4. No wonder Daichi wanted to shield me from this

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew! This chapter definitely got away from me. Idk what to say except I hope you enjoy and it doesn't feel too ooc for either of them :P

Tsukki abandons Kuroo in the kitchen to go shower.

The steam helps clear his stuffy nose and when he gets out, he reluctantly puts on his contact lenses. He startles at his reflection in the mirror.

The swelling on his face had been obvious before, but actually seeing it up close is horrific. It doesn't just encompass his nose, which feels like a mountain sitting on his face, but it extends around his eyes all the way to his top lip. Maroon bruises have started to form under his eyes, making him resemble a raccoon.

 _Gross_.

The image of Kuroo's blurry smile comes to mind.

_How can he find this cute?_

_He’s so weird._

Tsukki frowns _._

_Does that make me weird, too, for liking it?_

His thoughts are interrupted by a loud burst of laughter coming from the living room. That can only mean Kuroo is up to some kind of mischief. 

Tsukki dresses in a hurry _—_ loose tee and gym shorts _—_ before emerging into the living room. 

He’s not sure what he was expecting to find. But it certainly wasn’t this.

He stares dumbfounded as his second housemate, Yachi Hitoka, struggles to keep her giggles in while applying a glittery, red horror to Kuroo’s eyelids.

“Oh, that looks lovely with your skin tone,” she purrs from her spot on the couch beside him.

Kuroo blinks his eyes open with a grin.

“Really? I wanna see!”

It deeply unsettles Tsukki to find the excitement on his face… _ugh_.

 _Endearing_.

When Kuroo notices Tsukki’s presence, his smile grows wider. 

“Looks like I’m jaw-droppingly gorgeous now, Yacchan,” he drawls.

Yachi follows Kuroo’s gaze and beams when she finally catches sight of Tsukki. But her amusement fades and concern replaces it when she gets a good look at him.

“Tsukki-kun! What happened to your face?”

Before Tsukki can open his mouth, Kuroo snickers and responds for him.

“He got into an argument with the volleyball, and lost.”

“Oh, no!” Yachi's brow furrows as she brings a hand to her mouth. “It looks so painful!”

Tsukki narrows his eyes at them both as he approaches. 

“What the heck are you doing?” He points an accusing finger at Kuroo. “You’re supposed to be cooking.” 

Now that his vision is restored, he can focus on the details of Kuroo’s appearance for the first time. The man’s signature asymmetrical hair style is no more. His hair has grown long enough to sit in a relaxed manner just above his shoulders and away from his face. The top button of his shirt is undone, exposing the dip of his collarbone, and the sleeves have been neatly rolled up to his elbows. The prominent forearm muscles flexing beneath sun-kissed skin do not escape Tsukki’s gaze.

He hates to admit that he likes what he sees.

“Well,” Kuroo starts, “when Yacchan arrived from the konbini, she was so terrified to find a complete stranger cooking in her kitchen, that she threw both of her shoes at me and one of them landed in your food.”

Tsukki processes the outrageous story, expecting him to continue. When he doesn’t, Tsukki frowns at Yachi.

“And this naturally led to you doing his makeup?”

Kuroo laughs, and Yachi turns beet red.

“W-well, you see _—_ when I stopped freaking out and Kuroo-san explained who he was, I immediately remembered him! I mean, he looks so different from when he was a third-year! In _—_ in a good way, of course,” she says apologetically. “And I was sooo embarrassed and felt terrible about ruining your food, that I offered to help him redo it. But then he asked me what I’d gone to the konbini for so I showed him the makeup I bought and he told me he really liked the shades and I kinda didn’t think about it and just asked him if he wanted to try them on and then I felt really stupid for asking a guy if he wanted to try my makeup on, but it just came out! And I was already apologizing because I thought he’d be offended or he was gonna laugh at me, but then he said ‘heck yeah, I wanna try them!’ so here we are.”

Yachi takes a long, dramatic breath after her babbling, then asks Tsukki, “So what do you think?”

Tsukki arches a brow as Kuroo flutters his lashes.

While Kuroo looks absolutely ridiculous, Tsukki can’t deny that there’s something intriguing about the way the dark tones of the eyeshadow deepen his eyes and bring out the gold in his irises. He finds it strangely appealing on a face as handsome as Kuroo’s, though he wouldn’t dare admit it in a million years.

He gives Kuroo a pointed glance. “I think you should get back in the kitchen and finish my dinner.”

Kuroo’s smile turns into a pout, and Tsukki smirks.

“Oh, don’t be mean, Tsukki-kun,” Yachi scolds. “It was my fault your dinner was ruined!”

Kuroo snickers. “You do have amazing aim, Yacchan.”

“I’m so sorry! You must’ve worked so hard!”

“Eh, not really,” Kuroo shrugs. “It was a simple stir-fry. I don’t mind starting from scratch.”

Yachi turns her furrowed brow on Tsukki, who has secretly developed a soft spot for the blond idiot after years of friendship. He rolls his eyes with a sigh.

“Fine. Just finish _—_ whatever this disaster is,” he grumbles, lightly shoving Kuroo’s face before heading into the kitchen.

Yachi lets out a ridiculous, high-pitched squeal, which Kuroo copies very poorly. Tsukki grins to himself.

He ends up cooking the same boring, high-protein meal he prepares for himself almost every day, and adds extra ingredients for a second portion. This takes up the rest of his vegetables, so he goes to add them to the grocery list on the tiny whiteboard hanging from the refrigerator. 

He pauses when he finds a poorly drawn comic featuring himself. The first panel shows a stick figure with glasses getting a ball to the face, with the word SPLAT! in an explosive bubble, while the second shows an absurd amount of blood shooting from his entire face like a water hose.

Tsukki snorts out a quiet laugh.

_Such an idiot._

He writes his grocery list around it. 

While he completes the quick meal, he listens to snippets of Yachi and Kuroo’s conversation, which mostly consists of makeup Q&A and stories about Yachi’s current girlfriend.

Tsukki belatedly calls out to ask if she wants to eat too, even though their servings would have to be divided into much smaller portions. Thankfully, Yachi declines, and after a few minutes longer, wishes them a good meal and excuses herself to her bedroom.

Kuroo makes his way to the table while Tsukki sets it. 

“What about Yamaguchi?” he asks. “Won’t he want some, too?”

“He’s not home,” Tsukki mutters, recalling the empty space in front of their house where Yamaguchi’s Honda is usually parked.

"Why'd Yachi leave?"

Kuroo shrugs. "Guess she didn't want to interrupt our date."

"Wha-?” Tsukki feels his cheeks burn. “This isn't a date!"

Kuroo rolls his eyes with a huff, and surprisingly does not argue the point. Instead, he thanks him for the meal and digs into his food.

Tsukki watches him carefully, now that he can. Yachi must have added something to Kuroo's eyelashes because there's no way they're naturally that long. His brow is furrowed in a way that makes him look too intense while shoveling his food down. Tsukki recalls Kuroo's face looking like that in the middle of a match.

And maybe Tsukki isn't the best at reading body language because he doesn't really care, most of the time. But Kuroo looks stiff and… annoyed? Upset, maybe?

He's also eating really fast, like he’s trying to get out of there as soon as possible.

_Did I say something wrong?_

Tsukki mulls over his words as they eat in awkward silence.

Then a strand of Kuroo's hair comes loose from his ear and covers his eye from Tsukki's view. It annoys Tsukki more than anything, so he reaches out and tucks it back into place.

Kuroo's chopsticks freeze in mid-air, and the creases on his forehead smooth out when their eyes meet.

Tsukki swallows and awkwardly pulls his hand back. His eyes dip back to his meal.

“Do you always pick your dates up when they’re high on painkillers, or should I feel special?”

Kuroo's laugh is a nice reprieve from whatever that awkward exchange was, and Tsukki grins.

"You should definitely feel special," Kuroo says lightly, "I don't usually stick around when people throw shoes at me."

“So it’s happened before.”

“No comment.”

Tsukki snorts. “You got a makeover. Stop complaining.”

“Good point,” Kuroo hums and happily resumes eating.

The silence that follows is significantly more comfortable, and Tsukki eats the rest of his meal contemplating his next move. 

“How was it?” he asks when they both clear their bowls.

Kuroo’s mouth twitches. “Satisfactory.”

“That bad, huh?”

“Mine was going to be better.”

“Sure it was.”

Kuroo smirks and rises, taking both empty bowls to the kitchen sink. 

“Guess I technically still owe you,” he calls out over his shoulder. 

“Guess so.”

Tsukki props his chin on his palm and silently watches him do the dishes, struck by how eerily domestic it feels. Which is silly, because he’s seen Yamaguchi and Yachi do the same thing dozens of times. And yet, the scene conveys a completely different feeling now, like comparing a Dalí to a Rembrandt.

While Kuroo wipes his hands on a dish towel, his attention is caught by the whiteboard on the refrigerator. He points at it with an excited "A-ha!” then turns his index finger on Tsukki.

“You loved my masterpiece, didn't you?!"

Tsukki snorts. "That hurt my eyes more than the spike."

Kuroo snickers and makes his way back to the table, but doesn't take his seat. Instead, he stands beside Tsukki with his hands propped on his hips.

"How very, very rude."

Tsukki lifts his chin in challenge, expecting Kuroo to retaliate somehow. But Kuroo catches him off guard when he brings a hand up to his face to thumb a line over his cheekbone. 

“Does it still hurt?” he asks.

Tsukki blinks up at him in surprise. Kuroo’s fingertips are slightly cooler than the rest of his hand as he leaves a damp trail along Tsukki’s jaw. 

A chill runs down his spine. The snarky response at the tip of his tongue evaporates.

Kuroo bends down, eyes flickering over Tsukki’s face as he draws closer, slowly enough to give him plenty of time to escape. Tsukki’s heartbeat is a loud roar in his ears as Kuroo’s scent invades him; it's nothing at all like he remembers. This time, it’s a light combination of spicy cologne and… _what is that?_ He draws a deep breath.

_Warm skin._

Kuroo smiles, and Tsukki is paralyzed by the soft beauty of the dimples that form in his cheeks.

His eyelids flutter shut as Kuroo tilts his face a tiny bit more, and just when Tsukki expects their lips to meet, Kuroo’s lips land on the bruise below his right eye, instead.

_What?_

Tsukki blinks quickly, his lashes grazing Kuroo’s skin.

_Bastard. He's teasing me._

But then Kuroo’s lips kiss a slow, gentle line down the bridge of his nose before moving on to the bruise under his other eye, and Tsukki’s breath sticks in his throat. 

The action doesn’t seem mocking in nature. It feels oddly sincere, though Tsukki supposes that could just be him projecting his own feelings. His brain nearly implodes as it tries to figure out what it means when an almost-stranger one hasn’t seen in over six years performs such an unexpectedly tender gesture. 

But before he can linger much longer on it, Kuroo’s lips find his own in a warm exchange of breath.

Tsukki forces air into his lungs, lest the slick heat of Kuroo’s tongue cause his internal organs to combust.

Kuroo breaks the kiss too soon, but his nose remains in contact with Tsukki’s skin. He kisses the corner of Tsukki’s jaw before moving on to the skin below his earlobe, and Tsukki struggles to keep his breathing even. 

“You're always so brutally honest, aren’t you?” Kuroo says softly. “So answer me this.”

Tsukki swallows thickly as Kuroo’s mouth lingers on his pulse point.

“Why did you want me to stay?” 

Tsukki holds his breath, mind rushing to find a plausible lie. Literally anything other than the eager heat in his belly. But really, what’s the worst that can happen if he tells the truth? 

_He’ll leave, and I’ll go back to my life as it was before._

Not what Tsukki would prefer, but not the worst thing to ever happen to him, either.

_Okay._

He keeps his voice low but steady.

"I always wondered what it'd be like."

"What, kissing?” Kuroo hums. “We’ve done that before."

Tsukki takes hold of Kuroo’s wrists, making Kuroo pause and draw back to meet his gaze. 

"Not _—_ not that."

Kuroo's eyes widen as understanding washes over him and Tsukki's heart hammers away. The silence between them is so heavy, it’s suffocating. Even though he's terrified, Tsukki refuses to avert his gaze now that the truth is out, so he distracts himself with the hints of green in Kuroo’s irises that he’d never noticed before.

_Damn those pretty eyes._

The sound of a shutting car door makes him jump out of his thoughts. He shoots a glance at the door.

"There's that bastard Yamaguchi," Kuroo snickers under his breath, and when Tsukki returns his attention to him, he’s surprised to find a smile.

Kuroo tilts his head and points over his shoulder with his thumb.

"So, which one's your room?"

Tsukki’s heart rate picks up again. He can't help the smile that spreads over his face as he grabs Kuroo's wrist and yanks him down the hallway.

They make it to the last room on the right mere seconds before the front door knob jingles with Yamaguchi’s key. Tsukki shuts and locks his bedroom door, then leans back against it _—_ breath short and heart wild with excitement _—_ as if trying to keep a dangerous creature from breaking through.

His room is fairly small. It contains a full sized bed, a small dresser, and a desk and chair set where he spends most of his time. 

From where he stands, he switches the desk lamp on.

Kuroo’s side presses warm against him, and Tsukki feels the rumble of his chuckle before it escapes his throat. He covers Kuroo's mouth to block the sound.

Kuroo arches a brow and mumbles into Tsukki’s palm. Tsukki can’t make out the words, so he eases his grip now that Kuroo is whispering.

"Why are we hiding?"

Tsukki can’t explain why. For better or worse, his housemates already know about his sexual preferences. And it’s not like he’s never brought guys home before. But this feels...different. Forbidden, somehow.

Or maybe the idea of rubbing his conquest in Yamaguchi’s face _—_ now that the strange possibility of him harboring feelings for Tsukki has been brought to his attention _—_ feels somewhat cruel.

"I don't know," he mutters, instead of trying to put his thoughts into words.

Kuroo tilts his head like a curious cat. "Does this mean we have to be quiet?"

Tsukki mimics the movement. "I _do_ have two housemates. Were you planning on being loud?"

“Don’t you have a reputation to uphold, as a nightmare housemate?”

Tsukki snorts. “Shut up.”

Kuroo tugs Tsukki's hand away from his mouth, revealing an impish grin.

"You wanna make me?"

His outrageous lashes flutter as he leans into Tsukki's personal space, and Tsukki stifles a grin. He curls his fingers around the curve of Kuroo's neck and pulls him in. 

The kiss is significantly deeper and longer than the first. Even though Tsukki was the one to initiate it, Kuroo’s body presses tight against him, pinning him with his hips to steal his breath away. Heat pools heavier in Tsukki’s belly the more insistent Kuroo’s mouth becomes, and he can’t help but dig his nails into the back of Kuroo's shirt. 

He breaks away to catch his breath, and Kuroo’s mouth begins a slow, hot journey down his neck. Tsukki shudders.

"How do you wanna do this?" Kuroo asks between kisses, a hand sliding under Tsukki's shirt to dip into the elastic of his shorts. Tsukki’s skin breaks into gooseflesh as Kuroo rubs his thumb over his hip bone. "Do you have a preference?"

Tsukki leans his head back with a sigh, enjoying the way Kuroo's breath sends sparks all the way to his toes. 

“I don’t... bottom,” he admits.

Kuroo hums. “Well, that settles that,” he says with a grin, rocking his hardness into Tsukki’s thigh. “Though I will say, you’re definitely missing out.”

Tsukki almost reconsiders. But his mind stutters to a stop when Kuroo’s palm rubs against the shape of his cock with a pleased sound.

“Can’t wait to get you in my mouth,” he purrs, making Tsukki hiss and twitch against him.

He pushes Kuroo away just enough to make room to pull his t-shirt off and drop it to the floor.

For the second time tonight, Kuroo is rendered speechless. Tsukki observes his reaction with quiet mirth. He stopped feeling self-conscious about his body a long time ago.

“Goddamn,” Kuroo breathes, spreading his palms over Tsukki’s pecs and reverently skimming down his torso. “I miss the days when my body looked like this.”

Tsukki gives him a smug smile.

“Your body’s never looked like this.”

“Did, too! I was once a sexy teen, you know.”

“Then you got fat."

An obvious lie. Even fully dressed, Tsukki can tell Kuroo continues to be in excellent shape. The veins snaking down his forearms and hands reveal that he must lift regularly. In fact, based on the way his jeans hug his ass and thighs, Tsukki suspects that he must stick to weightlifting for the most part, nowadays.

“Screw you,” Kuroo chuckles and pinches his nipple. “I got thicc.”

“Thicc, huh?” Tsukki squirms and smacks his hand away. Then he tugs Kuroo back by his belt loops and captures his mouth in a hard kiss. A low groan escapes Kuroo’s throat as he wraps his arms around Tsukki’s neck. 

Tsukki savors his enthusiasm, eager to get his hands on his skin too. He breaks away, panting, and leans his forehead on Kuroo’s.

“Thicc is good,” he whispers, hands trailing down to grip Kuroo’s ass. Kuroo’s grin returns, and he presses his thigh hard into Tsukki’s cock. Tsukki draws a sharp breath.

A knock at the door jolts them both.

“Tsukki?” Yamaguchi’s muffled voice begins, “I got some extra meat buns on my way back. Would you like some?”

Tsukki forces air back into his lungs as his heart recovers. Kuroo huffs and covers Tsukki’s hands with his, urging him to squeeze his ass again.

“You got these meat buns right here,” he breathes into his ear.

“Uh, what?” Yamaguchi asks.

Tsukki glowers at Kuroo and wills his voice into his normal drawl.

“No, thanks. I just ate.”

Kuroo offers a mischievous grin before digging his teeth into the top of Tsukki’s pec.

Tsukki gasps.

“Tsukki? Is everything alright?”

Kuroo licks his nipple, sending fresh sparks down Tsukki’s spine. He does a very poor job of stifling a groan.

“Yes, um…” he struggles to think as Kuroo’s mouth encompasses his nipple. “My nose… I broke it today, so... “ Kuroo’s tongue draws a languid circle before he sucks hard. Tsukki’s cock twitches. 

“So it... hurts,” he groans.

“You broke your _—_ how'd you—nevermind." Yamaguchi sighs, as if absurd injuries were a regular occurrence in their home. "Do you need some painkillers? I might have some left over from _—_ ”

“No!” Tsukki says quickly. “It’s fine, Yamaguchi. I’ll just sleep it off.”

“Are you sure?”

Kuroo moves on to the other nipple as his hand slips past the elastic of Tsukki’s shorts. 

“Yup!” Tsukki calls, and because his brain has decided to shut down thanks to Kuroo’s firm grip on his cock, he adds a redundant, “Yes! Yeah. Yup, I’m sure.”

During the brief silence that follows, Kuroo strokes him at a glacial pace, and Tsukki has to muffle a moan in the juncture of his neck and shoulder. He works on undoing the buttons of Kuroo’s shirt to distract himself.

“Um, okay,” Yamaguchi replies, eventually. “Just let me know if you need anything.”

“Yeah,” Tsukki nods briskly, fully aware that his friend can’t see him. “Yeah, thanks.”

“Goodnight, Tsukki.”

“‘Night.”

Once Yamaguchi’s footsteps have faded down the hall, Kuroo snorts out a laugh.

“You bastard,” Tsukki hisses, shoving the fabric of Kuroo’s shirt from his chest and over his shoulders with less than gentle hands. It gets stuck at the elbows, so he takes a moment to appreciate the way Kuroo’s torso has filled out with muscle and the thinnest layer of fat.

Kuroo draws his hand out of Tsukki’s shorts, and keeps his eyes locked on him as he licks the slickness from his knuckles.

The action fills Tsukki with such intense desire, that he decides he is done playing games.

He shoves his shorts and boxers off in one fell swoop and takes advantage of the fact that Kuroo is distracted by the sight of his dick to grab the back of Kuroo's thighs and flip him onto the bed before he can react.

Kuroo yelps then giggles as he lands on his back. He sits up to work his shirt off and toss it to the side. Then he folds his hands behind his head and lays back down with a smirk.

"That's all it took to get you going, huh?"

Tsukki's palms trail down his chest and abs before landing on the front of his jeans. The outline of Kuroo's cock feels hot and promising in his hand.

"I want to taste you too," he admits as he undoes the button and zip.

Kuroo's breathing changes then, along with his smug expression. He lifts his hips to help remove his clothes, then lays there, the image of debauchery, for Tsukki to feast his eyes on.

Tsukki scans the planes of muscle from his heaving chest to his spread thighs. His swollen cock sits dark and dripping on his belly. Tsukki’s eyes linger on the inviting dip of his cheeks before trailing back up to Kuroo’s face.

Kuroo winks.

“How about a sixty-nine?”

Tsukki’s cock twitches at the idea, and he lets out the breath he’d been holding. He nods, reaching into his dresser for the lube.

“You dirty bastard,” Kuroo says, eyes lighting up. “You plan on sticking your fingers in me while we do it?”

Tsukki shrugs. “I’m good at multitasking.”

Kuroo scoffs, but Tsukki can tell he’s more than a little excited.

What Tsukki should have expected _—_ but didn’t realize until it was too late _—_ was how competitive Kuroo could be in bed.

Before they’re both comfortably in position on their sides, Kuroo’s already taking Tsukki’s cock to the entrance of his throat. Tsukki muffles a gasp against the sheets as he's enveloped in glorious, wet heat.

_Fuck, that feels good._

He indulges in the lightest of thrusts into Kuroo’s mouth before recalling that he has a job to do.

He refuses to be outdone.

He gathers plenty of lube into his hand and waits a moment for it to warm before spreading it along Kuroo’s crack. Kuroo jolts at the touch, and Tsukki chooses that moment to lick a circle over his cockhead, savoring its salty slickness before welcoming it into his mouth. Kuroo groans, sending vibrations through Tsukki’s cock, and Tsukki forces himself to think mundane, unsexy thoughts to keep his arousal from peaking.

If it’s a competition Kuroo wants, then a competition he will get.

The first finger in Kuroo’s ass meets the most resistance, but Tsukki manages to massage him open quicker than he thought. By the time he’s kneading several fingers in, Kuroo’s moans have started to get too loud, so he smacks his ass to remind him to keep quiet.

Kuroo yelps and releases Tsukki’s cock.

“If you really think that’s gonna shut me up, you are sadly mistaken.”

Tsukki smacks him harder.

Kuroo gasps with a dramatic flare. “Oh, do it again, Daddy. I’ve been such a bad boy!”

Tsukki groans, and it has nothing to do with pleasure.

Kuroo muffles a laugh on Tsukki’s thigh. “Ooooh, did I just unearth a kink you never knew you had?” 

Tsukki groans again, letting Kuroo’s cock flop out of his mouth.

“If you don't shut up, I’m biting your dick off.”

“Oh, yes. Whatever floats your boat, Daddy.”

Despite his annoyance, Tsukki snorts out a laugh along with Kuroo. He can't believe this is the most fun he’s ever had during sex.

Who knew all he needed was an obnoxious pervert who didn’t know how to shut up?

_No wonder Daichi wanted to shield me from this._

He returns his focus to the task at hand and sucks Kuroo’s cock back into his mouth as he plunges his fingers deep inside him. Kuroo shivers and curses. His hands tighten desperately around Tsukki’s thighs and he lets out a series of gasping moans as he alternates between rocking into Tsukki’s mouth then into the fingertips massaging his prostate.

Tsukki gives up on trying to keep him quiet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, we just getting started ;) such an evil cliffhanger, I know! Muahahaha!


	5. I like you so much, it's stupid

Turns out, there is one very effective way to keep Kuroo’s noises from being heard by the entire neighborhood, and that is to shove his face into a pillow while Tsukki takes him from behind.

Having his ass in the air is also nice because Tsukki can appreciate the view of his cock disappearing deep inside him. It only makes the satisfaction in his chest that much better, getting to watch Kuroo’s breath forced out with every thrust.

Unfortunately, his solution doesn’t last very long, given that Kuroo also requires oxygen to stay conscious. The man turns his face to the side, panting like he’s just emerged from underwater. 

“This what _—_ you had in mind _—_ all along?”

Tsukki keeps his hand tangled in Kuroo’s hair, yanking just enough to make him hiss. Kuroo shoots him a defiant glare, but doesn’t otherwise complain.

“Oh, yeah,” he huffs with a smirk.

He doesn’t elaborate on the fact that he’s imagined Kuroo in every other conceivable position, too.

Kuroo's tightness is really something else. It welcomes Tsukki and almost refuses to let him go, which requires his hips to snap with a little more force than usual. But for the sake of what little shame he’ll have when he faces his housemates in the morning, Tsukki eases up on the roughness. He slows the roll of his hips, drawing his cock out to the tip before letting Kuroo’s inner muscles swallow him again. He’s surprised almost as much as he is aroused by the immediate change in Kuroo’s reaction.

Kuroo squeezes his eyes shut and bites down on his lip, hands fisting in the sheets as he pushes back against Tsukki. And whereas his breaths were shallow and sharp before, now they hold low, visceral moans that send waves of heat to the base of Tsukki’s spine. 

Tsukki curses through his teeth. It really takes most of his will to not be as loud as him, but he doesn’t stop. In fact, he leans into the gentle grind, relaxing his hold on Kuroo’s hair to massage the base of his neck instead. Kuroo moans into the bedding as Tsukki’s hand glides gently along the knobs of his spine, then over the sleek muscles of his ass and thighs. 

Kuroo's gaze is heavy-lidded when it meets Tsukki’s, glittery eyeshadow smeared over his cheekbone and nose. It’s also gotten all over the sheets. Tsukki lets out a laugh at the ridiculousness of _makeup on his_ _sheets_ , but Kuroo's responding grin strikes him into silence.

It's just so _—_ pretty and soft. It makes a pleasant warmth bloom from the center Tsukki's chest _—_ a warmth he is certain can be noticed in his cheeks and the tips of his ears. And before he can bother feeling embarrassed by it, he tugs Kuroo’s chin to capture the grin with his lips. 

Kuroo’s sigh is warm and sweet in his mouth. Their lips and tongues glide together smoothly like they’ve done this countless times before. The sensation is so strangely natural that Tsukki would want to pull away if his brain weren't fried with desire. 

But also, the fervor in Kuroo’s kiss is magnetic, so he stays and savors every second. That is, until Kuroo’s nose bumps into his and a sharp pain spreads all over his face.

“Ow, fuck,” he protests, pulling away to blink at the sting in his eyes.

“Shit,” Kuroo chuckles, looking absolutely unrepentant.

Tsukki narrows his eyes. “You’re paying for that.”

He doesn’t give Kuroo much time to respond before he sits back on his heels and forces Kuroo to kneel with him, his back flush against his chest. 

Kuroo yelps at the sudden change and Tsukki covers his mouth, his other hand holding tightly onto his hip before driving hard into him. As expected, Kuroo becomes more vocal and tosses his head back against Tsukki, sweat-soaked hair plastered to his face and neck. Tsukki relishes the tight pinch of his brows, the breathy cursing against his palm as he fucks him harder.

His hand trails down the slick planes of Kuroo’s abs to wrap around his cock. Tsukki brushes his thumb over the dripping slit, making Kuroo twitch and groan. He smirks, still savoring the traces of Kuroo’s cum in the back of his throat.

“You gonna be quiet?” Tsukki growls into his hair.

Kuroo shakes his head and Tsukki almost laughs out loud.

_Well, at least he’s honest._

Tsukki rewards his honesty by stroking him in time with his merciless thrusts. Kuroo’s hands reach behind him to knead Tsukki’s ass with an almost painful grip. Tsukki hisses, surprised by how much the ardent encouragement spurs him on. He doesn’t stop, even after Kuroo melts against him, chest heaving and nails digging as he covers Tsukki’s knuckles with cum.

Kuroo’s gasping moans turn to whimpers as Tsukki fucks him through his bliss. This is Tsukki’s favorite part: the thrill of knowing he’s responsible for his lover’s ecstasy, combined with the anticipation of his own release. It’s a delicious moment in between climaxes, and he can’t help basking in it for a while.

He lets out a low groan into Kuroo’s hair and tightens his hold on him. 

The man’s body has loosened like he’s turned to gelatin, but his hand weaves into Tsukki’s hair and tugs. 

“We shoulda done this a long time ago,” he sighs.

Tsukki nods his agreement, though he suspects part of what has made this particular session so amazing is the fact that they both have enough experience to know what they enjoy in bed. That may not have been the case years ago.

His panting grows erratic as Kuroo tugs a little harder, hips pressing back against him.

“Now hurry up and come for me.”

Tsukki nods again, his skin prickling with gooseflesh at the command. He samples the prominent muscles at the juncture of Kuroo’s neck and shoulder, grazing his teeth and tongue along them as he plunges deep. Kuroo's breathless praise certainly helps, and after only a few thrusts, Tsukki's toes curl up as pleasure surges through him. He manages to ride the thrill out much more quietly than Kuroo did.

Kuroo sighs and slumps down into the sheets when Tsukki finally lets him go. 

He is the image of a thoroughly-fucked man, with cheeks flushed crimson and sweat pouring down every inch of his body. Tsukki can’t stop his heart from filling with pride as he watches him curl up to recover.

But he only watches briefly before leaving to dispose of the condom and to get some things for Kuroo. 

When he returns, he tosses a wet towel in Kuroo’s face.

“Clean up. Your makeup is running.”

Kuroo lets out a shocked laugh as the towel smacks him. 

“Shit, for a minute there, I almost believed you _weren’t_ an asshole!”

Tsukki rolls his eyes, but waits for him to finish cleaning his face and the mess on his abs before handing him a bottle of water. 

Kuroo accepts it with a grin and downs the whole thing in one sitting.

Then he settles back into the pillows and pats the spot next to him. Tsukki raises a brow, but scoots in beside him anyway. To his surprise, Kuroo wraps his arm around his waist and settles onto his chest.

"You're probably one of those monsters who don't like cuddling after, huh," he mumbles.

Tsukki frowns, even though Kuroo can't see it. Because in truth, he _is_ one of those "monsters". He’s never had a reason to hold or be held afterwards. While it's not the first time he's brought someone home for a one night stand, it is the first time a guy actually wants to stay for anything else once they've finished. This is new territory for him.

"It's... sticky," he argues, instead of revealing any of that.

Kuroo snorts, tilting his face up to glare at him. 

"You better fucking cuddle me if you don't want your nose broken again."

Tsukki grimaces, but not out of any real disgust. He just enjoys being difficult. When Kuroo's eyes narrow further, he finally circles his arms around him.

" _So_ sticky."

"Tough shit," Kuroo says with a triumphant grin before returning to his spot on his chest. "I just took the longest pipe I've ever seen. It's the least I deserve."

Tsukki feels his cheeks heat up at the comment, but says nothing else.

Kuroo's tired weight on him feels strange, but definitely not unpleasant. He watches closely as Kuroo's back rises and falls, each breath deep and seemingly content. Kuroo's eyes are shut, and Tsukki is almost convinced he's fallen asleep, but then Kuroo breaks the silence.

"Come on," he grumbles, shrugging the shoulder Tsukki's hand is resting on. "Just pretend you like me a little."

 _I do like you_ , Tsukki thinks before he can stop himself. _I like you so much, it's stupid._

At least he catches himself before he can say it out loud. Because it really makes no sense. 

Tsukki knows nothing about Kuroo, except for the summary of the past six years that he got in the car a few hours ago, and that he was Nekoma's volleyball captain for two years. Tsukki doesn't know anything personal about him; not his favorite food, or his favorite color, how many siblings he has or whether he's ever had any pets. He doesn't know if Kuroo is someone who dates, or if he's like Tsukki, just picking strangers up every now and then to have his needs met.

The man is a virtual stranger. And yet, for some strange reason that Tsukki cannot comprehend, his heart responds to him like a dog to its master.

So, he tries.

He brushes stubborn strands of hair back from Kuroo’s face and lets his fingertips glide along his eyebrows and his cheek. He combs through Kuroo’s tangled mane before letting his hand wander down his back, slowly caressing over his shoulder blades and the small of his back before returning in the opposite direction.

Kuroo lets out a deep sigh and hums.

“Much better, Tsukki.”

The use of his nickname sends warm affection flowing through Tsukki’s veins once more. 

“I didn’t think I’d ever see you again,” he confesses softly, continuing his exploration of Kuroo’s skin.

Kuroo’s eyes flutter open, like he’s fighting to stay awake. His gaze is soft when it meets Tsukki’s.

“Why not?”

Tsukki lets out an incredulous snort. 

“Well, for one, we live in different cities.”

“ _I_ live in a city,” Kuroo teases. “You live in a cozy little village.”

Tsukki ignores the hometown jab. “And two, I haven’t seen you since you graduated.”

Kuroo shrugs and traces random figures over Tsukki’s side. It kinda tickles, but Tsukki doesn’t stop him.

“That’s just how life goes,” Kuroo says softly. “It’s not like I’ve seen much of my high school friends either, and we live in the same city. Doesn’t mean I don’t care about them. We’re just _—_ busy, y’know?”

Tsukki supposes the same has happened between him and his Karasuno friends, with the exception of Yamaguchi and Yachi, of course. He's not exactly up to date with everything Hinata and Kageyama are doing on the daily, but at least he checks on their social media every now and then to make sure they’re still alive. 

Still, he feels like he'd like a little more than that from his virtual-stranger-turned-lover.

Which is what prompts him to ask: “Will the next time I see you be in six years?”

And he immediately cringes.

_God, I sound like a bitter ex-girlfriend._

If Kuroo thinks so too, he doesn't say. He only hums for a moment.

“Maybe,” he replies, and Tsukki hates the overwhelming disappointment that washes over him like ice water. 

“Or,” Kuroo says softer, lifting his head off Tsukki’s chest and coming up on his forearms to meet his gaze straight on, “it could be next week, if you want. When I come back to cover the Adlers/Jackals game.” 

“Hm.”

Tsukki believes he does a fairly good job of hiding the fresh burst of excitement that makes his heart soar. But something in Kuroo’s smirk tells him he’s easier to read than he thought.

After a beat, Kuroo's eyes trail down to his mouth.

“Will you miss me, little bumpkin?” 

Tsukki focuses on his lips, too. They remain just as enticing as before, if not more _—_ deep red and slightly swollen. 

He shakes his head. "No."

Kuroo’s smile spreads as he cups Tsukki’s cheek. His lips are close enough to brush against his as he whispers, "Good."

Tsukki breathes the word in before capturing his mouth in a kiss, already yearning for him even though he's not yet gone.

Kuroo holds his face like something precious and lets Tsukki drag him down into the sheets again.

Tsukki takes the opportunity to get his fill of him _—_ kissing Kuroo until his lips go numb.

Then he curls around him, in all his stickiness, and tries to memorize his scent before drifting off to sleep. 

...

It’s not a surprise when Tsukki wakes up alone the next morning.

What _is_ a surprise (and an unwelcome one, at that) is the terribly hollow feeling in his chest. But the painful pounding at his temples doesn’t help, either.

In hindsight, perhaps last night’s physical strain wasn’t such a great idea considering he’s nursing a concussion. But Tsukki would be lying if he said he regretted any of it.

That’s what his trusty painkillers are for.

He sluggishly throws on his clothes before heading into the kitchen.

He's grabbing a cold pack from the freezer when he notices a change to the whiteboard. His two-panel comic has been erased to make room for a scribbled phone number and an equally sloppy message below.

_Miss you already, little bumpkin_

_Thanks for having me ;)_

_See you soon,_

_K_

Tsukki snorts, but the empty feeling in his chest subsides a little.

“Who’s K?”

The voice makes Tsukki nearly jump out of his skin.

“Fuck, Yamaguchi! Could you _not_ sneak up on me like that?”

His heart races wildly as Yamaguchi chuckles behind him.

"I would hardly call saying 'good morning, Tsukki,' and then being ignored, _sneaking_."

Tsukki glares at him, but also feels a little bad that he was so caught up in his excitement that he didn't even notice him speak.

"Morning," he grumbles.

"Man, you really look like shit," Yamaguchi laughs as he opens one of the top cupboards. "I'm making tea. You want some?"

Tsukki hums an affirmative before taking a seat at the table. He plasters the ice pack to his head and waits for the painkillers to kick in.

"So…" Yamaguchi starts with a hint of amusement in his voice. "That broken nose of yours was really giving you hell last night, huh?"

Tsukki feels his ears warm and avoids his friend's gaze at all costs.

"Shut up."

"Totally not judging!" Yamaguchi announces brightly. "Just wish the walls were a little thicker."

"I said, shut up!"

Yamaguchi laughs again, but thankfully stays silent until the tea is ready. Tsukki tentatively watches him pour two cups before settling in the spot in front of him. Yamaguchi looks... strangely at ease for someone who just listened to his crush have very loud sex in the bedroom beside his.

Tsukki nibbles on his lip and stares down at his tea.

"Hey, um," he starts awkwardly. Is he really going to ask? Has he completely lost his mind?

_Fuck it. Just do it._

"Do you _—_ or _—_ did you ever have, like, a thing _—_ for me?"

Yamaguchi chokes on his tea.

Tsukki watches him turn bright red, though he can't tell if it's from the choking or from the embarrassment. Probably both.

Eventually, he manages to speak.

"You mean, like a crush?" And to Tsukki's surprise, he bursts out laughing.

"Well, duh, Tsukki! For like, _all of middle school and high school!_ "

Tsukki gapes. Was he really so self-absorbed that he never noticed?

Yamaguchi shakes his head and waves dismissively.

"But don't worry, I'm over it. I mean, you _are_ kind of a dick."

Tsukki snorts and nods slowly. "So I've heard."

"Not all the time!" Yamaguchi amends. "Just _—_ you know _—_ _most of it_."

_Ouch._

"Alright, I get it!" Tsukki huffs and takes a sip of his tea.

Yamaguchi snickers and drinks too, but his curiosity has obviously been peaked.

"What makes you ask _now?_ "

"Uh..."

Tsukki pauses. It feels ridiculous to admit that it took an outsider's observation for his best friend's feelings to be brought to his attention.

 _Damn. I_ _really am a shitty friend._

He avoids Yamaguchi's gaze. "I just didn't know if it would bother you that I had someone over," he mutters.

"What! Nah. That's old news," Yamaguchi says lightly. "I'm...uh..." his tone turns coy. "I'm actually seeing someone."

"You are?" Tsukki's eyes widen as he captures Yamaguchi's blushing cheeks. He's equal parts relieved and curious. "Who is it?"

"W-well, I don't _—_ uh, I don't know if you remember _—_ " Yamaguchi stutters and turns a brighter shade of pink. Then he shakes his head violently, as if clearing his thoughts. "Oh, who am I kidding! Of course you remember the Miya brothers!"

Tsukki's jaw drops.

"The twins! You're dating _the twins?!_ "

 _"A_ _twin!_ Singular, damn!" Yamaguchi cries, covering his flustered cheeks. "It's... Miya Osamu."

Tsukki is floored. But also, incredibly happy to see his friend like this.

"When did _that_ happen?"

"It's so, so recent!" Yamaguchi responds quickly, as if fending off an attack. "We just kept seeing each other at the volleyball games, y'know? Since he owns Onigiri Miya. From the day he recognized me, we just started talking and then... flirting?" He bites down on a smile before continuing. "One of those days, he just asked for my number. It's not a huge deal _—_ we've only gone out once. We're mostly texting, for now."

Tsukki nods, but can't help feeling like he's missed out on a lot without even realizing it. At the risk of sounding like a wounded child, he asks: "Why didn't you tell me?" 

Yamaguchi's eyes widen to their maximum capacity before he stammers out a response.

"Uh, well, cuz _—_ I mean _—_ you're not exactly the most receptive to this kind of stuff."

Tsukki knows that's true, but it still stings to hear it.

Yamaguchi continues in a softer tone.

"It wasn't really a secret, though. Yachi already knows, but Yachi knows _everything,"_ he snickers, then he points an accusing finger. "You won't even tell me who this K is! Though... it kinda feels like you want to, maybe?"

Tsukki doesn't really see a reason not to, at this point.

"It's Kuroo."

Yamaguchi's jaw drops as he lets out a long, dramatic gasp.

"No waaay!" he squeals before tossing his head back with a laugh. "Man, Daichi would have a _fit!_ "

Tsukki grins because he really can't help it. "Hm. Probably."

Yamaguchi's eyes glimmer as he leans forward in his chair; a perfect fishing-for-gossip pose.

"You guys had a thing in high school, right?"

Tsukki feigns ignorance, even though Yamaguchi literally caught them getting cozy, _twice_.

"What? No."

Yamaguchi rolls his eyes.

" _Liar_ , but fine. At least you do now. And you look happy about it."

Tsukki _is_ remarkably happy about it, even if he's not quite sure where he and Kuroo stand.

"I don't know about that," he admits. "We'll see each other next week at the game, but that's it for now."

Yamaguchi barks out a laugh.

"Well, it sounded like he enjoyed whatever you gave him last night!"

It's Tsukki's turn to almost drown on his tea. Yamaguchi laughs harder as he watches him sputter.

"Sh-shut up!"

"I don't think you have anything to worry about," Yamaguchi adds playfully. "I'm sure he'll come back for seconds!"

"Yamaguchi, I will _strangle_ you."

At that most convenient of moments, Yachi's cheery voice comes floating into the kitchen.

"Who's coming back for seconds?"

Before Tsukki can stutter out a response, Yamaguchi shouts, "Kuroo-san, of course!"

"Oh, he's so stinkin' cute, Tsukki-kun!" Yachi cooes. "And _—_ oh, my gosh! _—You like him!_ " she giggles, pointing at Tsukki's growing blush. 

And because it is absolutely necessary, she adds in a loud whisper behind her hand to Yamaguchi: "He's a loud one, though."

Tsukki takes that as his cue to abandon his tea and get the hell out of there.

"Maybe we should invest in earplugs," Yamaguchi suggests.

"Or ask him to stick a sock in his mouth?" Yachi giggles, which prompts another loud laugh from Yamaguchi.

Tsukki's entire face burns hotter than ever.

He almost trips over his own feet escaping his overly-supportive friends.


End file.
